Last week I received an email entitled “Black Wall Street, a Semi-Formal Casino Charity Event.” The event is sponsored by Patron Spirits Company. I guess they used the “Black Wall Street” name to make the event sound classy. They even attached a flyer with black folks dressed up in clothes from the Roaring Twenties. These days it is truly all about how you market your events. I’m sure they will attract the Ballers and the pseudo Ballers looking to have a good time. For critics that think they’re desecrating the Black Wall Street name, I will say this. They did give a shout out and brief history of the real Black Wall Street. It was the Greenwood, Oklahoma Black Wall Street that they gave the history on. But not the Durham, North Carolina Black Wall Street, that in my opinion never gets enough press.
Because of the shame that comes with what happened to the Oklahoma Black Wall Street, it is never talked about in history books. I’m sure the State of Oklahoma wants to forget what happened as well. And because some black folks do such a horrible job teaching their children their history….well…I digress. When I looked up Black Wall Street on Google it came up with a lot of stuff. And I’m being kind when I use the word “Stuff.” Sure you had information on the North Carolina and Oklahoma Black Wall Streets’ but you also had information on rappers and their labels. What?!?! What does a rapper have to do with black businesses that were sustained by black folks? A model of business that is used by ever other minority in America is synonymous with Rap now? It was even worse when I used Google Images. I saw Rims, Gold Teeth, and Guns. Really?!?! The Miseducation of the Negro is still in effect as far as I can tell. Instead of associating yourself with Black Wall Street because you have some gold records. How about starting some businesses (key word business is multiple) in your neighborhood? How about providing jobs for the residents of your community?
It seems that the spirit and intent of Black Wall Street died along with the community. What was started by the residents but never passed on will always be a mystery to me. It’s not to say that what was accomplished in Black Wall Street was in vain. Oprah, Jay Z and a host of other blacks have become business leaders in their own right. I believe they are standing on the shoulders of those that came before them. And because of that, those residents of Black Wall Street need to be honored for what they created.
I don’t watch the current television show “Mad Men.” I know it’s a period piece so I understand the lack of diversity. To be honest with you – I just don’t like all the hoopla around it. When I hear people talking about the “Good Ole Days’ and they don’t look like me I get nervous. Those days weren’t so “Good” for people that looked like me. Although more work needs to be done with diversity in advertising, there has been some progress. I did learn something new though. Frankfurt was involved in taking one of my favorite photographs of all time.
Check out how advertisement agencies look these days –
For information on booking Traveling Exhibits, including scheduling and hosting costs, contact the Museum Office at jimcrowmuseum@ferris.edu or (231) 591-5873.
Dr. David Pilgrim is the founder and curator of the Jim Crow Museum located at Ferris State University. The museum uses objects of intolerance to teach tolerance. The museum's web site is www.ferris.edu/jimcrow
He who can control image controls minds and he who controls minds has little or nothing to fear from bodies ~ Lerone Bennett
It has been said that worldwide we all share the same 99.99 percent genetic code. Well someone needs to tell these Racists that!!! Author Nell Irvin Painterexplores “The History of White People” and defines what whiteness means in America. If this book ends up keeping it real, the author can expect a lot of blow back. I can promise you that this will not make it into your local High School curriculum. The subject matter is more than what some people can handle right now.
After the debacle that was the Jay Leno Show, you would think NBC would keep a low profile. But with black history month, some folks don’t know how to act. They get all excited and want to do extra thangs!! NBC Chef Leslie Calhoun has been trying to get special entrees on the menu for Black History Month. NBC finally relented and gave her every Thursday during the month of February (why do we only get one day a week during the shortest month). Questlove, drummer for The Roots (the greatest rap band in the world and house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), tweeted a picture of a Black History Month menu with the comment: “Hmm HR?” Well if you know anything about race in America you know what happened next.
1. NBC apologized. 2. They took the menu down. 3. Al Roker gave the weather report (chance of snow in the Northeast). 4. And the Chef didn’t apologize……….what??? Now that’s new.
Oh, Calhoun…um……er…..she’s a Sista?? I guess you can’t apologize when you eat the same food. In interviews after the incident she said she didn’t understand why people would be offended. She said “Questlove, who I serve every day and who enjoys my food, requested the neck bone [cooked in] the black-eyed peas and fried chicken, then got off the line, saying, this is racist.” Well I’m confused??? I didn’t even see neck bones on the menu. Let me find out NBC is serving the Number #7 itis inducing food in all of Black America.
In reality, this probably started off as a joke that got out of hand. Questlove aka Questo took the photo not knowing it was going to turn into a lesson in tolerance. My suggestion to him is to be careful about that in the future. NBC doesn’t have a lot of black folk on the network like they did in the 80’s and early 90’s. It’s a recession and we need every black man working. And I’m not really mad at Calhoun for attempting to do something in honor of black history. But why can’t NBC have fried chicken, black eyed peas, greens and smoked turkey any other month? Why does “Soul Food” have to be assigned to February?
I live in North Carolina and I know the real deal on who eats Chicken. White folks will be at Bojangles early in the morning until late at night. They eat chicken like it’s going out of style. Especially those older white folks - they love that chicken. Chicken sandwiches, biscuits, buckets, fried, baked, smothered, rotisserie….they can’t get enough of it. Now I don’t know how those northern whites respond to chicken. They don’t even have real sweet tea (if I go to your restaurant I shouldn’t have to put sugar in my tea, it should already be in there) up north so you be the judge. The funny thing about living down south is that you will always run into someone that has either killed a chicken or watched one being killed. Sometimes I feel inadequate because my chicken already arrives dead…..but I digress.
In the future, I hope that NBC will add Black History items to their regular rotation. They don’t have to wait to have other “Ethnic Foods” on special occasions. Matter of fact they should have Couscous in June, Sushi in November, Haggis in April, Wienerschnitzel in December, Empanada’s stuffed with chorizo in August. Just like Black History should be every month and not only in February. That way when people see Chitlins on the menu in July they won’t yell RACISM!!! And the sista doesn’t have to wait until February to show you how to season food.
